Chapter 2 - Revelations

He was getting worried. He should have sorted the problem months ago. Now he had to resolve the situation and quickly. He had to work hard to regulate his breathing; he needed to stay calm compose himself and everything will be just fine.

One hour, he had just one hour to put his plan into action and then he would feel more relaxed. He needed to make a call; he was nervous but he would know in the first few seconds if there was a problem. It was done and everything was OK.

He entered the car park, got into his car and drove off.

Jules looked at the kitchen clock, 11.25. Sam was meeting the Boss at 11, so he should be home around 1 pm. She needed to keep herself busy; she was going to cook lunch. Jules opened the fridge; it was seriously in need of replenishing. If she was going to cook then a trip to the store was in order. Just as she picked up the car keys her cell phone rang. Jules thought it would be Sam and without looking at the number that had appeared answered it "Hi Sam, how'd it go?"

It wasn't Sam and the color drained from her face and she dropped the car keys.

"OK, but hurry, please hurry" Jules said as panic started to rise making her heart beat fast and loud.

How could this happen again to Sam? Jules was pacing now impatiently waiting to be picked up so she could be with Sam.

She heard the horn as a car pulled up. She raced outside. Jules climbed into the passenger seat.

"How is he Brian?" Jules asked, desperate for information.

"He's not going to make it Jules, not this time."

Jules did not see the fist fly towards her jaw, but boy she felt it when it made contact. Her head hit the side window so hard it broke the glass. Darkness came quickly before she could even comprehend what had happened.

Greg listened while Sam told him everything that happened on the roof that fateful day in January. He told Greg that he thought it was a nightmare at first, but as he started to remember more and more, he realized it wasn't a nightmare at all but what had actually happened to him and the young woman. Sam said he had left Coulson covering the three individuals because he needed to speak to Greg as he felt there was something really odd about the whole situation. When he turned back, he saw Coulson talking to the two men as if he knew them. Before Sam had a chance to do or say anything, the one calling himself Steven Daniels turned and fired his gun at Sam. He remembered a searing pain in his right shoulder and a crushing pain in his chest, but he was still conscious and saw the other man shoot the young girl. Sam rubbed his chest remembering the pain as vividly as if it had happened yesterday.

Sam said he heard Coulson say something to the two men about finishing the job. Sam paused. He knew telling Greg was going to be difficult; he couldn't even tell Jules last night. Remembering was hard enough, saying it out loud was near on impossible.

Greg understood Sam was finding it difficult and gently prompted him to continue.

"So Coulson said to the two men something about finishing the job, and then what happened Sam?"

"He told them to throw me off the building and to do the same with the girl. I think she was already dead, Boss, but I couldn't be sure. I tried to get up; I remember struggling with one of the men as he dragged me to the edge. Sam's voice breaking as he desperately tried to keep his emotions in check.

It was difficult for Sam to relay the events to Greg, but it was just as hard for Greg to listen to. He had always felt guilty for the pain Sam had gone through as it had been his suggestion that he and Sam ride along with Team 2 that day. The fear Sam must have felt knowing he was about to be thrown from a roof top must have been unbearable: Greg understood now the reason Sam had blocked out the events of that day from his memory.

Greg understood he had to remain professional for Sam's sake but all Greg wanted to do was to comfort his young officer. Greg could see Sam was barely holding it together emotionally. However, Greg was an officer of the law and as such had to obtain as much information as possible about the crime and the perpetrator of that crime, namely SRU Officer Brian Coulson.

"Sam, there's no need to rush things - if you need a break just say".

"No, I'm good Boss, I just need to say it and get it over with, I know you will be finding this difficult to believe, Boss I could hardly believe it myself but I know that is what happened".

"I believe you Sam; I just can't understand why he would do such a thing. OK he wasn't the most amenable guy in the SRU, but murder and attempted murder?"

"So, from what you are saying, Coulson was obviously involved with the Johnson brothers - do you think Coulson made one of them shoot him to cover up his involvement?" Greg asked

"It was a relatively minor wound; I think that was probably what happened" Sam surmised.

Greg had always felt uneasy about the case and had often wondered why Coulson's injuries were relatively minor, while Sam was left fighting for his life. Greg slammed his hand down on the table "Damn it, I should have asked more questions I should have known. Sam this is my fault; right from the start it had been my idea to ride along with Team 2."

"Boss, you couldn't have known, no one could. What I don't get is why leave it? Why risk my memory coming back. Coulson must have been a little worried that I would get my memory back and remember what happened to me."

"Sam, he obviously wasn't banking on you surviving the fall. Let's face it no one thought you were alive when you hit the ground. And it's rare for people to regain a memory which had been lost through a traumatic event and he probably thought if you did remember it would be your word against his".

Sam felt relieved; even though it was one of the hardest things he has ever done it was over - he had told the Boss and now he could tell Jules and they could finally move on from that day; It was no longer a fragmented picture it was now complete - a pretty horrific picture but at least it was whole.

Greg called Inspector Holleran and was told he was away for the weekend. Greg told the secretary that he needed to speak to Inspector Holleran on a serious issue and would await his call.

As Greg and Sam waited for Inspector Holleran to return the call, Team 2 arrived back at the base.

Greg and Sam left the briefing room and walked over to Winnie. Greg asked her to let him know as soon as Inspector Holleran called.

Sam looked on as Team 2 headed into the locker room, Sam didn't see Brian Coulson. He asked John Sullivan where Brian was. John replied that just before they left for the incident at Winchester Shopping Mall Brian had received a call to say his mother had suffered a stroke and was in the hospital. John had told Brian the team could manage and he could leave and go straight to the hospital to see his mother.

The color drained from Sam's face. He did not believe Brian Coulson's mother had suffered a stroke. Brian knew, somehow, that Sam had remembered.

Sam told Greg what John Sullivan had told him. Greg tried to ease Sam's concerns. He told Sam not to jump to conclusions. Coulson's story would be easy to check out. He would make some calls and find out where Coulson was.

Sam took out his cell phone; he wanted to let Jules know he was still with Greg and that he would be home soon. Jules wasn't picking up; Jules always answered her phone.

Sam left the Barn shortly after and made his way home. Sam walked through the door calling out to Jules, hoping and praying she would answer. He had a sinking feeling that Jules not being at home had something to do with Coulson. Sam entered the kitchen and saw the car keys on the floor and Jules's cell phone on the side. He checked the last number to call her phone. His heart sank, he recognized it immediately. It was Brian Coulson's number.

Sam sat down clutching Jules's phone in his hand. His heart which was normally slow and steady was racing and he had to swallow hard to stop the bile that was rising in his throat. He knew Brian had taken her, for whatever reason, he had Jules. It was his fault; he should have told Jules about Coulson when she asked. If he had told her she would not have gone with him - at least not without a fight.

Sam was finding it difficult to remain in control. But he needed to stay focused; he would find her and he would kill the son of a bitch.

"Boss, Jules is gone; her car keys and phone are here - Boss, I think Coulson has got her".

"Try and stay calm Sam" Greg was panicking too but he knew Sam was losing control and he had to keep him calm. "Don't worry Sam, I'm calling in the team - we will find her".

When Sam arrived back at the barn, Greg told him he had checked with the hospital and Brian Coulson's mother had not been admitted to hospital or had suffered a stroke. She was in fact holidaying with her daughter in Palm Springs.

That was the information he dreaded. Sam knew there was no doubt - Coulson had taken Jules. He was scared, more scared than he had ever felt in his life. He needed the team, Ed, Spike Wordy and the Boss; they would find her, and everything would be OK.

Ed arrived first to find Greg, Sam and John Sullivan with Inspector Holleran. Ed knew immediately something big had happened and by the look on Sam's face he was guessing it was something bad.

Greg told Ed the situation. Ed tried not to show Sam just how concerned he was; if Coulson was prepared to murder Sam what could he do to Jules?

"We'll find her, Sam" Ed said trying to reassure his friend.

"How? No one has seen Coulson or his car. His cell phone is off. Ed, he is SRU he knows how to do this." Sam was beginning to lose hope. Where was Spike; he needed Spike to work his computer magic and find Jules.

Spike and Wordy walked through the doors and once briefed on the situation Spike immediately set to work. "Coulson's car cannot hide from me I will hack into every traffic camera until I find it Sam, we will get Jules back and Coulson will pay for what he's done".

John Sullivan gave the team all the information he had on Brian Coulson. At first John did not believe what Greg had told him about his tactical officer but the more he heard the more he had started to believe it to be true. He had initially doubted Coulson had been left unconscious from a gunshot wound to the shoulder, but the doctors had told him Coulson had suffered quite severe blood loss so he guessed that had been the reason why. It had never occurred to him that his officer could be involved in murder and attempted murder.

Greg advised the team that a search on Coulson's house had not turned up anything. It had emerged Brian Coulson was a very private individual. However, his laptop was being brought in by officers and it should arrive shortly.

The team sat around the table; there was nothing they could do but sit and wait for Spike to give them something to go on; a place to start looking for Jules.